Canada’s investments to support equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines

Since February 2020, the Government of Canada has announced that it will commit nearly $1.6 billion to the global response to COVID-19. This includes more than $865 million in funding for the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator to support equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines.

Canada has been a key supporter of the ACT-Accelerator since its inception as it provides a critical platform to mobilize and coordinate the unprecedented global effort needed for the development, production and distribution of safe and effective COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. At the core of the ACT-Accelerator framework are 3 partnerships (vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics) with a crosscutting work stream on health systems. Canada joined the ACT-Accelerator as a co-lead on May 4, 2020.

To date, Canada has announced a commitment of more than $865 million to support low- and middle-income countries to access COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments through the ACT-Accelerator. This includes today’s announcement of $485 million for antibody treatments and in support of the ACT-Accelerator’s health systems connector and vaccine pillars. It also includes:

• a contribution of $220 million, announced on September 25, 2020, to support the procurement of vaccine doses for low- and middle-income countries through the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC)
• a contribution of $120 million in support of the ACT-Accelerator, announced on June 27, 2020
• a contribution of $40 million to the Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovation announced on April 5, 2020

Canada also provided a previous initial contribution of up to $31 million to the Gavi COVAX AMC.

Canada is currently the second-largest financial supporter of the Gavi COVAX AMC, which will enable 92 low- and middle-income countries to access vaccines with the support of official development assistance financing.

By joining the COVAX Facility as a self-financing country and by contributing to the Gavi COVAX AMC, Canada is supporting collective efforts to develop safe, effective and accessible COVID-19 vaccines for 189 participating economies across the world.

All countries participating in the COVAX Facility, either as self-financing or AMC-eligible countries, will have access to a portfolio of vaccine candidates. Distribution will be equitable and based on available doses among countries that have selected specific vaccine candidates.